By Monica D’Ippolito
FREDONIA – On the weekend, the State University of New York at New Paltz not only set and extended a program winning streak to 19 games but on Saturday, after blanking visiting Buffalo State a day prior, it concluded its weekend’s doubleheader slate without giving up a single run as it earned two more shutouts.
In another dominant pitching performance from the Hawks’ top arms, they improved to 28-4 overall and more importantly, 14-0 in the SUNYAC to strengthen their grasp of first place after earning, 5-0 and 3-0 wins over the Blue Devils.
After sweeping Buffalo State Friday afternoon with two complete game shutouts, SUNY New Paltz pitchers Lindsay Roman and Sydney Waldon did much of the same Saturday as they combined to give up just four hits in another pair of complete game shutout victories.
Roman was in the circle for game one and didn’t allow a hit until the third inning in a scoreless contest until the bottom half of the frame. SUNY New Paltz got her some run support after Sydney Bonewit led off with a base hit. Lauren Serrao laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Bonewit over with Jaycee Filancia following with a base hit to get runners on the corners. Bonewit then crossed for the game’s first run following an overthrow on an attempted pickoff at second with Filancia earning the base and Bonewit getting home.
Jackie Rometo added onto the lead in the next at-bat, smacking a single to center before Jillian Shelbourne doubled to right to get runners back into scoring position. Kelsey O’Brien brought in Rometo on a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 3-0.
That’s all the run support Roman needed, as she went back to work and earned eight straight outs before a single by Fredonia broke up the stretch in the sixth. Roman made quick work of the base runner though, forcing a fielder’s choice to end the inning. She then secured three straight ground outs to close the game with the 5-0 win as the Hawks added insurance runs in the fifth.
Roman improved to 13-3 on the year after allowing just two hits no runs, no walks with two strikeouts.
The top of the order pulled most of the offense for SUNY New Paltz, as Filancia, Rometo and Shelbourne at 1-2-3 combined for five of six hits and four of five runs. Filancia finished 1-for-2 with two runs, two stolen bases and a walk. Rometo went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Shelbourne finished 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Waldon highlighted game two, as the junior pitched another gem and nearly earned a new strikeout record, which she had already set earlier in the year as she tossed a full seven innings, giving up two hits, no walks, no runs and had 13 strikeouts on the day.
Kelly Marmorowski blasted a solo shot in the second inning to give Waldon the lone run she needed on the day. SUNY New Paltz then generated two insurance runs in the bottom of the third. Rometo reached on a fielder’s choice, resulting in the second out of the inning.
The Hawks mustered some tough, two-out hitting as Shelbourne earned a base before O’Brien brought Shelbourne home on an RBI base hit after a wild pitch scored Rometo and brought Shelbourne over to second.
Filancia, Rometo, Shelbourne, O’Brien, Marmorowski, Serrao and Bonewit each registered a hit for the Hawks in the game in an even offensive performance.
The Hawks honored their seven graduating seniors prior to the game in Shelbourne, Roman, Marmorowski, Rometo, Rhionna Bianchini, Isabella Shepherd and Nicole Greco. The seven were a part of the two best seasons to-date in the program and are hoping to help lead the team to their first SUNYAC title this season as postseason looms just two weeks away.
“With goals of elevating the standard for excellence within our program, all seven of these young ladies have been instrumental in making that want a reality,” said Hawks coach Krysti Maronski. “The impact that this group has had on the success, culture, and goals for the program has been outstanding and the impressive legacy they are leaving will be the standard for our program and future players to look up to and strive towards each year.”
With two more road series left in the regular season, SUNY New Paltz just needs to earn a win over Geneseo next weekend to secure the top seed in the SUNYAC playoffs for the second straight season. The last time the two teams met, the Knights hoisted the conference championship on Mary Gray Deane Field.